So here is my opinion on the saiga as far as HD goes.
Is if my favorite gun.. Hell yes.. would i risk my life on it hell no.. "not yet"
I have shot a few hundred rounds though it and i still get some odd stuff from time to time.. I think after a little more ware and tear maybe.
end of day anything semi will and could have more things wrong with it.. My remmy 870 shoots 100 percent of the time every time with 0 issues.
If you ever need a gun for HD the racking of the slide would likely be enough to scare most people away.
Also if you have a pump it forces you to think about what you are doing and where you are aiming and could possibility save a life as in your other family members in the house.
During a high stress / adrenaline situation it would be easy to crank off all your rounds in a Saiga and the damage would be devastating to anyone and anything in the blast radius... "trust me"
Just something to think about.
as far as the bolt.. in any Russian class of gun i have a custom hold bolt open cut into the safety lever.